Recent advances in the semiconductor art have resulted in high quality workpieces with complex miniaturized components and circuitry, such as large scale integrated circuits, small scale integrated circuits and hybrid integrated circuits. Because of the high costs to design and fabricate such hybrid substates, there is an ever-increasing need to protect such valuable products from damage as from mishandling, contaminants, static electricity, or the like. Such protection must extend from the completion of the fabrication process, to any testing and through transportation and storage. Without appropriate protective containers to preclude damage, the unit cost and price for such hybrid substrates would be unnecessarily increased.
Damage to hybrid substrates can be reduced and even eliminated by appropriate holders or containers designed and constructed specifically to such purpose. The prior art discloses a large number of holders or containers of various configurations generally suitable for supporting flat objects such as hybrid substrates. Some of such prior devices are even specifically designed for the same purpose of the present invention.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,850,296 to Hirata et al, for example, a block-type holder is specifically configured for supporting flat, circular semiconductor wafers. The holder includes v-shaped grooves in angular orientations to receive the wafers at their lower edges only. Because of the angular orientation of the grooves, the holder can accept wafers larger or smaller than those shown in the patent. A disposable cover with expansible foam removably couples with the holder to protect the wafers from dust or damage from external sources.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,153,164 to Hofmeister also discloses a holder for semiconductor wafers. According to the Hofmeister disclosure, the waters are supported in horizontal, parallel planes by opposed, horizontal, parallel grooves. Support bars perpendicular to the v-shaped grooves allow for adjustment of the holder so that wafers of various sizes may be supported and held. No provision is shown for covering the holder and its contents.
In somewhat related art, holders are disclosed for supporting rectangular plates as of glass or the like. German Publication No. 2,234,949, for example, discloses an adjustable holder for supporting a plurality of rectangular workpieces in the form of glass panes. Several brackets with v-shaped receiving slots are shown, each movable into engagement with the edges of the workpieces to contact and retain the workpieces in a desired orientation. Straps are required to maintain the orientation of the brackets and workpieces. No removable cover is shown.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,768,393 to Betz, workpieces such as photosensitive glass plates are supported in a vertical orientation by a two-piece container. Mating v-shaped grooves are formed in both the upper and lower parts of the container. No provision is made for adjustability.
As illustrated by a large number of prior patents and other disclosures, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to safely, conveniently and economically retain, store and transport flat workpieces such as hybrid substrates. None of these disclosures, however, suggests the present inventive combination of elements for holding hybrid substrates as herein described and claimed. The present invention achieves its purposes, objects and advantages over the prior art through new, useful and unobvious components which increase user convenience, consistently insure maximum safety and, through the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, effect a reduction in cost. All this attained through the utilization of only readily available materials and conventional components.
These purposes, objects and advantages should be construed as merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the present invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or by modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and advantages as well as a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and detailed description describing the preferred embodiment of the invention in addition to the scope of the invention as defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.